The Tom Tom | December 2016 by Antioch Community High School Tom Tom

THE STUDENT VOICE OF ANTIOCH COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL

VOLUME 55, ISSUE 3 + DECEMBER 2016 WWW.SEQUOITMEDIA.COM + @ACHSTOMTOM + @SEQUOITSPORTS 1133 MAIN STREET + ANTIOCH, ILLINOIS + 60002

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14 DEC. 2016

CONTENTS

II 20

VOL. 55 NO. 3

THE STUDENT VOICE OF ANTIOCH COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL

PERSPECTIVES

FEATURES

4 | EDITOR’S NOTE

14 | IDLE HANDS ARE THE DEVIL’S WORKSHOP

5 | STAFF EDITORIAL 41 | TOM TOM TRIES: DANCE 46 | WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO BE IGNORED NEWS 6 | NEWS BRIEFS

16 | I WASN’T BORN YESTERDAY 18 | IT’S NOT A SPRINT, IT’S A MARATHON 20 | IN COLD BLOOD 23 | IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: THE SPECIAL COLORING BOOK SECTION

LIFESTYLES 10 | FASHION THROUGH THE AGES

13 | TOUGH LOVE BLECKE SPORTS 38 | SPORTS BRIEFS

VOLUME 55, ISSUE 3 + DECEMBER 2016 WWW.SEQUOITMEDIA.COM + @ACHSTOMTOM + @SEQUOITSPORTS 1133 MAIN STREET + ANTIOCH, ILLINOIS + 60002

ON THE COVER

8 | HUBBARD NAMED D117 ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT

12 | CONSUMER’S GUIDE TO LIVING ON A TEENAGERS BUDGET

THE STUDENT VOICE OF ANTIOCH COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL

Throughout this magazine you will see a purple Tom Tom icon (see right). That means readers are able to scan the page with Aurasma, an app downloadable from any app store. Readers will then be engaged in a virtual reality experience like never before.

When we thought of originals at ACHS, two juniors came to mind: Alexis Miramon and De’Andre Burns. Both are talented singers and can be seen in the musical in April. Burns also participates in every sport season throughout the year. Miramon and Burns grace the double covers to showcase our lead headline, “It Takes Two to Tango.” Scan both covers to hear these Sequoits talk about their experiences.

{Perspectives the TOM TOM staff

2016-2017 executive team

KRISTINA M. ESDALE Editor-in-Chief PATRICK R. JOHNSON, MJE Adviser PAIGE HOPE Managing Editor REBEKAH L. CARTLIDGE Digital Director JACK A. CONNELLY Digital Director JILLIAN M. EVERETT Print Director JASON R. WOOD Print Director Editorial Board DEPARTMENT EDITORS Rachel Beckman Grace Bouker Branden Gallimore Booker Grass Benjamin Gutke John Howe Lauryn Hugener Gabrielle Kalisz Alexander Ruano Abigail Russell Kaylee Schreiner Logan Weber SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTORS Haley Edwards Dylan Hebior Megan Helgesen Marc Huston SENIOR EDITORS Christina Michaels Natasha Reid

staff journalists Jayme Bailey William Becker Lauren Bluthardt Peter Boeh Nico Chiappetta Jared DeBoer Emma DeJong Abigail Ellsworth Taylor Feltner Chloe Grass Griffin Hackeloer Emily Hanes Daeshaun Hawkins Symone Henderson Brenna Higgins Emily Holmes Jacob Johnson Michael Kawell Jessica Lamberty Chloe Moritz Anthony Murray Nicole Peterson John Petty Alexandra Rapp Ashley Reiser Steffanie Richardson Matthew Rowe Allison Smith Ashley Stephens Annie Wagner Kyle Whitley Monica Wilhelm Kat Zamudio mission statement

The Tom Tom provides fair and balanced news reporting for the Lake County area. The Tom Tom is a student-run news organization that serves the Antioch community through a monthly print news magazine and daily online content. It is our duty to encourage the involvement of town activities and sporting events. The Tom Tom is an open forum publication and strives to inform, educate and improve the atmosphere and student body at Antioch Community High School.

EDITOR’S NOTE

IT TAKES TWO TO TANGO

Life is about the give and take. Sometimes, we come to a compromise. That is when we truly mature. KRISTINA ESDALE // Editor-in-Chief

f there’s one thing I’ve learned throughout my four years of high school, it’s that you truly have not matured into an adult until you have learned to take responsibility for your own actions. Over and over again, I’ve seen teachers and students get in fights or arguments because of an unfinished assignment or a late project. Students beg to have more time or argue about a seemingly unfair grade, when the reality is that they just didn’t put in enough time or effort to reach their goal. Naturally, their response is to protect their pride and to blame anyone else besides themselves. What some students don’t realize is that their teachers are not the only ones responsible for their grade. Although teachers are held accountable for teaching the material, it is ultimately up to the student to hold up their end of the bargain. There is no good grade without equal contribution from both parties; in other words, it takes two to tango. From 1 p.m. until 2:50 p.m., the atmosphere of my school day makes a complete change. I go from sitting silently and diligently listening to a teacher lecture, to working as a team to accomplish one goal: a perfect magazine. The idea of perfection seems unrealistic for one person to achieve by him or herself. That’s why our staff can’t “tango” without each individual pulling their own weight; when one person doesn’t give it his or her all, the whole success of the magazine becomes fragile. When a person doesn’t hold his or her weight for the team, it becomes easy for the rug to get ripped out from underneath our feet. This issue is a perfect example of how we learned to tango with having two different journalism classes this year. The “I” issue is our third double issue in the past two years, but the first-ever double issue to be produced by separate sports and lifestyles classes. Although having two classes is very beneficial, it also comes with many difficulties, especially when you have to produce a 48-page magazine in less than a month. Communicating between classes is easier said than done, and we found out the hard way during the production of this issue. But in the end, our struggles fit perfectly into this editor’s note; you can’t make a quality magazine without being responsible and communicating with the staff effectively. Similar to our past two issues, the “I” magazine features, which are framed by cliches, all start with the letter “I.” Inside of this section you’ll find “Idle Hands Are The Devil’s Workshop,” a story about the rights and wrongs of today’s teen decision making written by social media

4 Tom Tom December 2016

PHOTO // NATASHA REID

director Dylan Hebior. Outside of giving it the good ‘ol Tom Tom Try, department editor Branden Gallimore also set his sights on understanding what it takes to not give up in his feature, “It’s Not a Sprint, It’s a Marathon.” Staff member Allison Smith explores the unseen talents of our current freshman class in “I Wasn’t Born Yesterday,” while department editor Lauryn Hugener delves into the past with “In Cold Blood” to explain the story of alumnus Cameron White. And as a special surprise feature section, “In Case You Missed It” stories cover the topics that usually go unnoticed in our school and community. Department editor Rachel Beckman writes about something as simple as what our walls are made of, while social media director Megan Helgesen’s story takes a darker turn, discussing the risk that teens face every day when they’re behind the wheel. And that’s just a glimpse into the 16-page feature-within-a-feature section. This magazine fits perfectly into this year’s theme of being “original.” Besides the usual cliche-driven feature stories, a little surprise is hidden inside of our “In Case You Missed It” section; it’s a coloring book! Not only does this give you the opportunity to express originality, but it also gives you the chance to tango with us and make it your own magazine. Thank you for taking the time to read our magazine. We hope you enjoy being able to tango with us just as much as we enjoy providing you with an insight into the people, places, things and ideas that often go unseen. TT

KRISTINA M. ESDALE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO LEARN In the game of life there is a fine line hidden among laziness, entitlement and exhaustion. For many Sequoits, this line is blurred and slacking becomes an increasingly tempting priority.

TOM TOM STAFF // 47 of 49 Agree

ith first semester coming to a close, many students are finding themselves slacking off in class and, sometimes, in life. Whether they blame it on the time of year, the cold weather or even on their supposed “senioritis,” many can agree that we are becoming lazy. Social studies teachers have noticed that students no longer complete the assigned reading, resulting in a decline on quiz and test scores. English teachers have to set aside more time than they originally intended in order to study certain literature pieces, all because students don’t do their work at home. Our own staff has even noticed a level of complacency among ourselves and our peers’ work ethics. So where is this idleness coming from? Could it be due to technology? Or maybe it is caused by entitlement or ignorance that adults claim the youth of today possesses. But what about the kids that overextend themselves and return home late each night, exhausted from their AP classes, sports practices, club meetings, fine arts rehearsals or other extracurricular activities that require their time? Sometimes, these students really do not have enough time or energy to complete all their homework or assignments. Couldn’t that which is perceived as laziness actually stem from tiredness caused by students overworking themselves? Many kids enjoy going to their extracurriculars—that is why they involve themselves in those activities in the first place. After a long day of doing what they love, homework is the last thing that a student wants to be doing because they don’t find it enjoyable, they think it is busy work or they just don’t have the time.

ILLUSTRATION // JESSICA LAMBERTY

However, when kids purposely choose certain activities over homework, that is when exhaustion becomes laziness. The academic aspect is the most important part of student life. That is why student-athletes are students first, then athletes. It’s why extracurricular activities possess the word “extra,” meaning beyond the curriculum. Schooling needs to be taken seriously, but, unfortunately, there are many factors preventing this expected diligence. Studies show that one reason why our generation is lazier than most is because of our overexposure to and reliance on technology. While technology is intended to increase our progress, it is actually stunting our growth. We become too dependent on machines to do things for us, and we don’t learn the importance of work for ourselves. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, for the average person over 15 years old watching TV takes up almost three hours of leisure time per day. This accounts for more than half of one’s leisure time. Comparatively, the average 15 to 19 year old spends only 13 minutes per day reading. Teens are stepping away from expanding their mental capacities and improving their vocabulary by reading, and they are instead positioning themselves on a couch in front of their TV.

FREE SPEECH // ARE STUDENTS LAZY?

GABRIELLA WOLSKE // SENIOR “Yes, because we’re so engulfed in our phones all the time that we don’t want to do anything but check social media.”

NICHOLAS CARLSON // FRESHMAN “Youth maybe aren’t exactly lazy, but they certainly don’t apply themselve to doing school work.”

Another reason our generation is considered lazy is because of our sense of entitlement. Students think they are above school; they do not see the immediate benefits that doing homework and attending class may bring. Kids feel like they don’t need to work and that instead everything will be handed to them. This translates into behavior and, oftentimes, a serious lack of respect for the environment we collaborate within together. They are unable to realize how great of a privilege schooling is; they see school as a burden, not a blessing. If we want to fix this era of laziness, we actually have to do something about it. For once in our lives, we can’t sit back and expect our parents or our teachers to take care of it. For once in our lives, we need to stop thinking about how much we need a break from our work, and start thinking about our future. High school is supposed to be preparing us for college and for the real world. In the real world, a college professor won’t care if you slack off and fail your class. In the real world, if you don’t get an assignment done for your job, your boss will fire you. Life isn’t going to be easy. And the sooner we can realize this and realize that high school is meant to prepare us for that experience, the sooner our lazy attitudes can transform into ones that can accomplish tasks and be effective. TT The “I” Issue

News

IN BRIEF

2016 GALA ENCHANTS ATTENDEES

After years of presenting Holiday Lights and Holiday Cafe performances in December, the fine arts department made a significant change this year by hosting it as a Holiday Gala at Maravela’s in Fox Lake. With its large turnout on Friday, December 2, attendees received a full course meal and dined with family and friends while enjoying music and theatre from students in the fine arts. “It was successful compared to years in the past because it was organized,” senior Kar Toman said. “[The department] raised a lot more money and a wide variety of people came out to the show.” The two hour event also featured an auction and sales of the music teachers’ newly released Christmas CD, “Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” in order to raise money for the fine arts. “This was one of our most successful performances,” choir director Trey Hickey said. “We raised over 5,500 dollars and are thankful for those who participated.” TT BY RACHEL BECKMAN

OPEN LETTERS TO OUR COUNTRY MOVING FORWARD The people have spoken and it’s official, Donald Trump will be our nation’s leader.

PHOTO // RACHEL BECKMAN This year the fine arts department moved past the tradition of Holiday Lights and Holiday Cafe by switching to a new venue and new format. The event included a number of silent auction items and was full of student talent musically and theatrically.

TERRORIST THREATS COME WITH EXPLOSIVE TACTICS, YOUTH Following recent attacks in the Middle East and various prisoner stories, information on the power of the Islamic State of Iran and Syria (ISIS) continues to display the powerful effect the terrorist group is having on the world. As one of the largest terrorist organizations, ISIS implements kidnappings of not only adults, but also children to help in its defense and buildup. From groups as young as preschoolers to teenagers, ISIS utilizes these children and adolescents as defense mechanisms. Their main purpose is to carry bombs to the “enemy” sides, which makes these children targeted bait for soldiers guarding the other side. “They tell them if they do this, they will go to heaven and have a good time and get everything that they ever

6 Tom Tom December 2016

wanted,” Kirkuk governor Najmaldin Karim said. The shocking news of adolescent use within terrorism hit the public with a staggering force after the tragic killing of 54 at a Turkish wedding in August 2016. Just days after the incident, investigators released information confirming those involved in Turkey’s deadliest attack in history. Not only were 22 of those murdered teens and children, but the bomber was estimated to be between the ages of 12 and 14. “Children’s minds are vulnerable and easily manipulated,” social studies teacher Lauren Krickl said. “It shows how much power adults can have in shaping the minds of kids.” In frequent occurrences following the major attack in Turkey, children

have become increasingly present within ISIS-related bombing attacks, fueling hatred towards non-ISIS members and prompting service to the group; gun-use and bombing techniques with children are paving the way for the future of the group. The developed brainwashing techniques and force within ISIS display the large effect it is having on families and adolescents. Additionally, it communicates the seriousness of the group and its possible force in the future. “War is constant and will never stop,” junior Gabriel Tijerina said. “It is so important to know what is going on around the world and ISIS’s effect on so many people.” TT BY RACHEL BECKMAN

In a few short days, the final Electoral College votes will be cast and counted. CIA documentation of potential vote tampering from Russia released Saturday, countless Twitter wars and media-fueled buzz, and a billionare-filled Cabinet may sway votes, but going into a Dec. 19 deadline some argue that the national hysteria isn’t over just yet. In the post-election turmoil, both news department editors felt it was important to assess what this means moving forward. To read their letters, follow the Aurasma link included below.

LIBERAL // Gabrielle Kalisz CONSERVATIVE // Rachel Beckman

IN BRIEF

Sequoit Snapshot

The Sequoit Sidekicks took to the court Saturday to play in their annual basketball game. The white team took home a 8-6 victory over the grey team. PHOTO // SYMONE HENDERSON

The “I” Issue

News

WHOEVER SAID VIRTUAL REALITY ISN’T REAL? The list of real-life applications for virtual reality is almost endless, and even considered by some to be an overnight sensation. Virtual reality has many applications previously unconsidered. One of the most interesting is the application of virtual reality within medicine. With this technology, medicine can advance significantly with surgery simulations. Virtual reality is often used to train new surgeons, allowing them to perform on a virtual patient or see inside the human body. There is more to Alexandra Rapp’s story about how common animals are improving the quality of life for many through animal therapy. Make sure you scan this page using Aurasma to read it.

PHOTO // BRADFORD HUBBARD TWITTER

HUBBARD NAMED D117 ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT ACHS principal will leave post after four years to transition into district curriculum and instruction leadership.

KRISTINA ESDALE // Editor-in-Chief

ith a new semester coming, principal Bradford Hubbard announced his appointment as assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction for Community High School District 117 on Wednesday, December 7. Although this won’t be official until July 1, 2017, many were curious on how Hubbard came about filling this position. “It was an extremely difficult decision,” Hubbard said. “I was approached by our superintendent, who said they thought I would be good at this job. They were wondering if I would be interested in it. And there was an interest in it, with respect to curriculum and instruction and working with both schools. I effectively dragged my feet for as long as possible, trying to make a decision because I really, really love this job. I told student cabinet that I didn’t know if I’d ever find a job that I love as much as the one I currently have.” With a new position in the district

8 Tom Tom December 2016

comes many more responsibilities. Although the role of assistant superintendent comes with more leadership, being the principal means constantly supporting and being involved in sports and extracurriculars. Even though Hubbard expressed that that was one of his favorite parts of his job, he also explained how it meant less time spent with his family. “With the Assistant Superintendent position, there is certainly a lot of work to do,” Hubbard said. “But there are some commitments that I have as a principal that I don’t necessarily have at the district office. I’m not really sure what the differences will be yet. There are day-to-day operations as a principal that you handle as they come your way: discipline issues, building maintenance, making sure snow is cleared, observations and different types of meetings. There are so many different things that come up. I think that the assistant superintendent is a bigger role in the district, but maybe a little bit more focused on an initiative, which is curriculum and instruction.” As Hubbard takes this leap into a new position, he reflected back on his time at Antioch Community High School and how not only has he impacted the student, but also how the students have had such a positive impact on his family and him in his past four years. “There are so many awesome memories here,” Hubbard said. “I have got-

ten to do things with kids that I don’t even think their parents get to do with them in certain situations. Being down on the floor at the state dance and cheerleading competitions, at a sectional track meet holding their blocks for them, and there’s been some really cool experiences with students in the performing arts. I got to play the ukulele in the holiday concert last year and perform in the drumline on Friday morning; those are some things that I will never forget.” Even though Hubbard appreciates the kindness and experience he gets from interacting with the students, he can’t even begin to show how thankful he is that they welcome and embrace the most important aspect of his life with open arms: his family. “The one thing that I’ll walk away from here being most appreciative of is not the way the school and community has embraced me, but the way that they embraced my kids,” Hubbard said. “Seeing my face in the crowd on a blow-up head is crazy cool. But there was a football game this year where I was with my daughter Calla, and the fan section started to cheer ‘Put in Calla!’ I could bring them to work with me, and the way the students treated them made them feel like princesses. Those are the things they’ll never forget, I’ll never forget and we got to share them together. It’s just incredible.” TT

STUDENTS GET SERVED A number of resources go unused each day: social work, support groups and one-on-one assistance. EMMA DEJONG // Tom Tom Staff

here are many services available in the student services office that many do not know about, which include inschool psychologists and social workers, career help, college advice and planning, applying for scholarships, choosing classes, and support groups. Beyond just the academic and career aspect in the lives of students, counselors can provide individual counseling. This one-onone time can be especially helpful for those freshmen trying to figure out high school and even those seniors stressing about the next big step in their life. “Antioch provides more social and emotional counseling than a lot of other high schools do,” counselor Kelly Lindgren said. Guidance counseling truly is a great resource available at any time needed. Another helpful resource available is on-site school psychologists. They can help talk about any issue on ema have in their life with one on one conversations. Another resource available is our schools social workers. Licensed professionals like Peg Larson and Joe Loffredo work with students dealing with social and emotional issues.

A number of resources go unused each day: social work, support groups and one-onone assistance. KYLE WHITELY // Tom Tom Staff

For some, the months leading up to college can be the most stressful. They may worry about getting accepted, finding a roommate or even picking a major; however, before all of that, one of the most grueling decisions one needs to make is which college to attend. Some students have their dream school while others are undecided. In response to this, Antioch Community High School offers college visits where an admissions counselor from a college comes to Student Services. These counselors talk about why students should look into

PHOTO // EMMA DEJONG Nestled atop of the last original portion of the school, the student services office provides a number of resources for students and staff to support positive social, emotional, career and college growth. The office is staffed by five counselors, two social workers, a social work intern and the assistant principal of student services. Both psychologists can be found in the deans office.

An additional service offered by student services is the various student led group therapy sessions. These sessions are annonymously held and cover a multitude of issues any person may have in their life. More information about these groups can be found in the guidance office regarding where and when the groups are held.

The most important thing to remember is no matter what anyone may be going through, there are people here in this school to help. From one-on-one help to support groups, or from dealing with anxiety to needing help choosing a career path, student services can help. The door is always open. TT

their college as a means of attaining a postsecondary education.

GROUPS

“When I do college visits at high schools, typically I talk about an overview of the university [like the] location, enrollment, city, academic programs, support, campus visit opportunities, application steps and tips as well as cost and scholarships,” admissions counselor at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Andrew Kopitzke said. “After I cover the basics, I open it up to student questions. Some questions they have asked relate to housing, Greek life, athletics and intramural sports, parking, study abroad, club and organizations, class size, music and theatre, honors program, etc.”

LGBTQ+ HELPS STUDENTS WITH ISSUES RELATED TO SEXUAL ORIENTATION OR GENDER IDENTITY.

To read Kyle Whitely’s complete story, follow the Aurasma link included below.

FAMILY ISSUES SUPPORT PROVIDED TO STUDENTS THAT ARE STRUGGLING WITH HOME LIFE. CONCERNED PERSONS SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS WHO HAVE A FAMILY MEMBER OR FRIEND WHO IS USING DRUGS. DIVORCE THIS GROUP SUPPORTS TEENS WHOSE CAREGIVERS ARE GOING THROUGH DIVORCE OR SEPARATION.

STRESS MANAGEMENT LEARN POSITIVE AND EFFECTIVE METHODS OF COPING WITH STRESS AND ANXIETY. GRIEF PROVIDES SUPPORT FOR THOSE STUDENTS WHO ARE DEALING WITH THE DEATH OF A LOVED ONE.

MINORITY VOICES THIS GROUP IS DESIGNED TO HELP STUDENTS WHO CONSIDER THEMSELVES MINORITIES TO DISCUSS ANY LIFE ISSUES. RESILIENCE HELPS SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT, TRAUMA, OR DESTRUCTIVE RELATIONSHIPS.

CONFLICT RESOLUTION THIS GROUP IS FOR PEOPLE WHO FIND THEMSELVES EXPLODING WITH ANGER OR FRUSTRATION.

YOUNG MEN’S ISSUES FOR YOUNG MEN WHO FIND THEMSELVES FRUSTRATED TO THE POINT OF ANGER.

STUDY SKILLS SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS WHO STRUGGLE WITH ORGANIZATION AND PREPARING FOR SCHOOL.

YOUNG WOMEN’S ISSUES HELPS YOUNG WOMEN COPE WITH ISSUES THAT THEY FACE ON A DAILY BASIS.

The “I” Issue

HOLIDAY FASHION AGES

Lifestyles

THROUGH THE

LAUREN BLUTHARDT // Tom Tom Staff JESSICA LAMBERTY // Tom Tom Staff PHOTO/CLOTHING // JESSICA LAMBERTY

1920

1930

The jazz age of the “roaring” 1920s has led to abundances of polished styles that set base for new trends that have made the ultimate comeback in modern day fashion. From gold and black, to long sleek fur coats, many women and men throughout the 20s have shown their fashion statements during the holidays with grace, elegance and extravagant hats. The 20s helped lead decades of sophisticated style.

1940 The effect that World War II had on the states becomes a common theme in the holiday season. Women represented their new voices and ability to take new roles in society with the classic paperboy haircuts. Men preferred trench coats, scarves, sport coats and tailored two-piece suits. Outfits were not clingy or form fitting and sweaters and skirts often matched. Hats were popular among both genders.

10 Tom Tom December 2016

The 30s felt the full onset of the Great Depression; women were limited in personal expression, but allowed themselves to enjoy elegant fur coats ideal for the holiday season. Knitted skirts accentuated the feminine curve in contrast from the 20s. A new sweater was considered the perfect gift for a 1930s man, with popular styles of black, velvet fabrics.

1950 The 50s rejuvenated a new vibe of tight-accentuated waists. Vibrant, stiff shouldered sport jackets were also popular among men, whereas the highly recalled, “greasers” wore loose clothing and leather jackets, epitomizing the jock-rebel look.

1960 “Welcome to the sixties,” a classic quote from the well-known musical “Hairspray,” which featured the hit trends of that decade including retro bear hug coats that were a prominent staple in a woman’s life. Men sported button up wool sweaters with pastel cardigans, making sure to achieve the slicked back style.

1980

With changing technology came changing trends. Men wore shirts that exposed their chests and Hawaiian shirts over t shirts took their walk of fame. Collared blazers were also popular among men. For women, fashion shifted from flowers to flare, with bold patterns, tight clothes, and intense eye makeup. Spandex were popularized by fitness models as well as off-the-shoulder tops. Hair was themed around the idea “go big or go home” and was often teased into bushy styles.

2000 A new century means another fashion phase. Styles became short and tight. Crop tops, off-shoulder tops, mini skirts and boot cut jeans became top choices. For men, baggy jeans became popular, but shirts ranged from sweaters to button downs and plain, long-sleeve shirts.

1970 The 70s took on an entirely new look never seen before in history. With their flowers and peace symbols, articles like the bohemian style dress and the flared, bell bottom jeans came to life. From blazers to high waisted, short skirts, the 70s incorporated a little bit of everything into their attire. Intricate, but not always matching, patterns embellished many of the outfits worn. Men rocked the button down collared shirts paired with bell bottoms or sported a tight sweater.

1990 The 90s kids redefined style. Primary colors were the trend and denim leads the list. Jackets, jeans and knee length skirts were just a few of the many denim items of the 90s. Solid colored sweaters and oversized tops were another addition to 90’s fashion. The denim phase was universal between men and women; however, men sported flannels more often than sweaters.

2010–TODAY As for today’s fashion, it is still continuing to grow. Ugly sweaters have become a widespread investment of the American people. Junior Jordan Delara loves the current sweater trends. “My favorite Christmas sweater is green and has a bunch of nutcrackers on it,” Delara said. “It is my favorite because I collect nutcrackers, about seven last year.” Santa hats still remain a Christmas essential and skimpy Christmas costumes are still popular. From suits to snowpants, holiday attire has changed from decade to decade. The “I” Issue

Lifestyles

CONSUMER’S GUIDE TO LIVING ON A TEENAGER’S BUDGET

Most teenagers are restricted from doing activities due to minimal budgets. However, discounted prices are everywhere to help teens have a week filled with entertainment and dining options at a low cost. CHLOE GRASS // Tom Tom Staff

ILLUSTRATIONS // HALEY EDWARDS, JILLIAN EVERETT, NATASHA REID

budget shouldn’t limit a teen from doing fun activities. Most businesses are aware of how overpriced products are keeping the youth away. “Everything seems to be so expensive, especially for teens who don’t have jobs and still rely on their parents for money,” junior Kristen Taylor said. A lot of different businesses offer deals specifically for students. Sometimes it takes a little extra effort to scope out these discounts, so here is a week’s worth of dining and entertainment for a teen budget.

DINING

There are many restaurants in Antioch that have specials on foods for low costs. Anastasia’s is a very popular restaurant in town and is usually packed due to their delicious American-styled food and pizza. Luckily, they have specials almost daily such as 79 cent tacos on Tuesday, 50 percent off pizza on Wednesday, and all-you-

can-eat pizza for $7.99 on Monday. Another popular restaurant is Wings Etc., and they offer their wings for 59 cents on Monday to start the week off right without draining a wallet.

COFFEE CRAZE

Most teens rely on coffee to get them through the early school days, but getting coffee daily can cause a budget to disappear fast. Many often forget about the cafe located right across the street from school: The Latte Cafe (TLC). TLC has a lot of coffee options for reasonable prices. To appeal to teens, they offer students 10 percent off any purchase, which is a huge benefit when coffee is a daily necessity.

ENTERTAINMENT OPTIONS

Going to movies is one of the most popular activity for teens, but movies can cost up to forty dollars or more, which isn’t realistic for most teens to spend on a regular basis. Both Regal Cinema and Marcus Movie Theatre have deal days on Tuesday for five dollar tickets. This is an extreme benefit

nowadays since even the popcorn can make a movie experience that much more expensive. Most all museums in Chicago have specific days where the public can get in for free. According to Museum of Science and Industry, Illinois residents can get in for free on February 29, June 1-3 and 6-8, as well as many other dates throughout the year. Some teens may not feel comfortable driving all the way to Chicago or may not be able afford gas money, so the train is a solution that is safe and easy. But once again, even train tickets can be expensive. According to Metra and the CTA, both offer a reduced ticket price to help students have the opportunity to experience more events and fun activities. Teenagers usually limit the amount of possibilities they can do because of low budgets; however, there are deals for everything everywhere so don’t let the high priced cost of things today keep teenagers from participating in fun activities. TT

16% OTHER Students spend an average of 61 percent of their money on other items than entertainment, food and coffee. (clothing (20 percent), accessories (10 percent), video games (8 percent), cars (8 percent), electronics (8 percent), and shoes (7 percent)) INFOGRAPHIC // CHLOE MORITZ

12 Tom Tom December 2016

ENTERTAINMENT

Teenagers spend an average of 16 percent of their money on entertainment (music, movies and events).

23%

FOOD AND COFFEE Teenagers spend an average of 23 percent of their money on food and coffee.

HOW COMMON ANIMALS ARE MAKING MEDICAL HISTORY Dogs, cats, rabbits, llamas and alpacas—yes, even alpacas—are helping to improve the quality of life for people all over the country. Ever since 1989, animals were used to assist in therapy for people. Programs such as Rainbow Assisted Animal Therapy and Canine Therapy Corps in Chicago visit hospitals, retirement homes, schools and rehabilitation centers to have their animals spread their joy. There is more to Emily Hanes’s story about how common animals are improving the quality of life for many through animal therapy. Make sure you scan this page using Aurasma to read it.

TOUGH LOVE BLECKE Former principal’s roots at ACHS sprouted into strong branches of faculty, staff and relationships. WILLIAM BECKER // Tom Tom Staff

he bricks by the commons, the street signs in the hallways, the records on the weight deck and even the flags flown on the stadium bleachers in the fall contain the names of past alumni, students, teachers and coaches. However, one name in particular is certainly missing in this 102-year-old school. The hallway street signs display the names of respected teachers from each department. If the signs contained the names of previous administrators, students would expect to see the name “Arthur (Art) Blecke” lining the halls. Blecke is not a name many current students will recognize. Antioch Community High School hired Blecke as the dean of boys in 1966. He was soon promoted to the rank of principal, a role he would spend nearly 25 years in before retiring in 1992. Only three teachers remain at ACHS from when Blecke was principal. He hired science teacher Thomas Hoffeditz, social studies teacher Charles Trout and art teacher Julie Elver at his career’s end. Currently, two staff members, English department chair DeeAnn Andershock and ILC secretary Kathleen Stewart, were students during Blecke’s time as a Sequoit. Trout was a co-worker of Blecke’s from 1986 to 1991. According to Trout, Blecke expected his teachers to do their job to the best of their ability. “When you did [your job] he gave you all the respect in the world,” Trout said. “He would support you 100 percent.” Blecke gave the teachers at ACHS the feeling that they were part of a family. “When you worked for Mr. Blecke, you were someone that was on his team,” Trout said. “He would definitely go to bat for you because you were one of his.” Blecke not only gave the teachers a family-feeling, but he also shared that feeling with the students and community as well. “What Antioch was and still is, is a family,” Stewart, a 1977 alumna, said. “I think he gave us a real sense of community, and that comes from the top down.” Not all teachers at ACHS would look at

Blecke in the same way as English teacher Kelly Taylor, however. Taylor is the granddaughter of Blecke, and to Taylor he was always a warm, loving and hilarious grandfather. “When I think about him, he was always picking me up and throwing me in the air as soon as I saw him,” Taylor said. While Taylor was growing up, she and Blecke would watch movies, play board games and do anything that involved the outdoors together. Later, she learned what his reputation was like around the school. “He was known for being tough,” Taylor said. “If you ever got a note from my grandfather that said ‘see me’ as a teacher or faculty member, it was one of those moments of minor terror.” As a student, Stewart knew first-hand that Blecke was an authority figure. “I think the students at the time were scared to death of him,” Stewart said. “He looked imposing, and you did not mess around.” Stewart went on to say that he was intimidating, but he was also very fair with students. Trout explained that Blecke’s tough, authoritative figure came from his World War II experience. He, along with the five other veterans on staff at the time, had an attitude of going in, getting business done and moving forward. Blecke also pushed his teachers to take on the role of being an authority figure. “Here’s something he told me,” Trout said. “‘You’re an authority. You’re there to present and teach the kids. You’re not here to be their friend. You’re here to teach them, support them and encourage them in their development.’” Blecke would love and support the students at all times, but when they misbehaved,

PHOTO // KELLY TAYLOR

they had to face the consequences. “Blecke’s belief was ‘this is the expectation. Meet the expectation,”’ Trout said. “He held that on the kids and he held that on the staff.” Back when Blecke was a dean, school systems had more rights over students. “He was able to rough kids up,” Taylor said. “I’ve heard stories about him shoving kids up against lockers that were misbehaving.” Even though Blecke was tough at times, Stewart said that she could see he was a caring individual who loved the students at Antioch. She said she believes that Blecke should be recognized in some way for the work he put into the school. “He was dedicated to the school, and he was dedicated to the students,” Stewart said. “You don’t stay some place you’re not fully dedicated to.” Trout explained that years after Blecke retired, he would stop at the school occasionally to say “hi” to remaining staff that he had worked with at ACHS. A memory that Taylor shared of her grandfather was his love for his wife. “He always spoke so highly of my grandmother,” Taylor said. “Which was really cool and a great role model as a young girl. He spoke about not only how much he loved her, but how classy she was.” As Taylor grew up, she never got to view Blecke as principal Blecke. Instead, she viewed him in one way. “I just knew him as grandpa,” she said. TT The “I” Issue

Features

14 Tom Tom December 2016

IDLE HANDS ARE THE DEVIL’S WORKSHOP

1. When you don’t have anything to do, you will probably do something bad. DYLAN HEBIOR // Social Media Director

Having to work hard for the things that one feels they deserve is the drive of humankind. As a teenager in high school, it can be hard to go out of the way to find a job with an already busy schedule. But when one is driven to work for what they want, they will, for the most part, not stop until they have reached their goal. In this case, senior Connor Geidner believes that working hard and earning the things he wants makes things more special. “I like to earn the money I make because I feel like what I do with it is more worth it,” Geidner said. Being able to buy the things one wants with the money earned makes the items more sentimental and makes a person feel more fulfilled. While being swamped with school work and having to work on nights after school and on the weekends, it is more difficult for devious acts to be performed. “It takes my time up by doing better things,” Geidner said. The situation is a little different on the other side of the spectrum. Senior Rebecca Cleven does not work and is often forced to go to her parents for money. Although being involved in sports keeps Cleven away from making bad decisions, she knows a few people without jobs that are negatively affected by

PHOTO // NATASHA REID

not earning their own money. Cleven believes that if kids have free time, it is more probable for them to get involved in negative activities. For teenagers, it can be very difficult to understand the importance of positive decision making. Being able to tell right from wrong is included in the many life lessons that are experienced in a young person’s life. Sometimes, all it takes is the input of a parent to guide them in the right direction. “What we really want to see when parents are raising their kids is that you teach them how to empower themselves and you teach them about accountability,” social studies teacher Anton Borchert said. From the viewpoint of the adult population it is a very common misconception that teens

are the most negative part of society. Whether younger people like it or not, this is always the way it has been. Although the difference in generations makes teenagers easy to judge, many forget to realize the other half of it. The process of learning and going through many life changing experiences is what being young is all about. “It’s not that teens are bad people, but you don’t have as much experience with life, so you don’t realize the shortcomings to your decisions sometimes,” Borchert said. These are questions that Borchert feels parents should be teaching their kids to ask themselves when feeling like a situation they are getting into is going to be a bad choice: “Do I want to do this? What’s the downside to

this decision? What do I gain from this decision? What are the risks?” The sense of realizing a whole future is ahead and the balance of whether or not it is going to be positive or negative is huge for people to realize. With the help of adults, this is something valuable for everyone to realize. With so much going on in the young life of a teenager, the ultimate challenge of controlling their own destiny is something to always keep in mind. Striving to make the best out of oneself and working to make the best name possible cannot be done alone. Sometimes all it takes is a little guidance, hard work and determination to make sure one is in the best position to make himself better. TT The “I” Issue

Features

Tom Tom December 2016

I WASN’T BORN YESTERDAY

1. I’m not dumb or stupid. 2. I have the ability to think and reason. ALLISON SMITH // Tom Tom Staff

Freshman year is a whirlwind of immense changes. Coming into high school, freshmen have a lot to worry about—from starting new classes to meeting new friends. For many freshmen, one of their biggest worries is being at the bottom of the totem pole again. Instead of making the transition from eighth grade to freshman year easier, many upperclassmen choose not to acknowledge freshmen or their accomplishments. Typically, freshman year is the perfect opportunity to lay low. Whether it be the intimidation of upperclassmen or the fear of failure, many students choose not to get involved. Far less frequently, a freshman will walk through the doors of ACHS making it his/her goal to step out of their comfort zone and try something new. This is exactly what three freshmen in science department chair Gregory Bays’ AP Physics 1 class did; they took the road less traveled as they entered their high school career by challenging themselves in physics. Students who met a certain criteria were able to opt out of taking regular or honors physics and jump ahead to AP, a class typically reserved for seniors. Normally, students who take AP Physics 1 have at least a precalculus math background. Being only freshmen, the three students are behind the seniors in math, making it an even greater challenge.

PHOTO // NATASHA REID

While the freshmen might seem to have a disadvantage in the classroom, the students have learned how to adapt to the new workload. They have also adapted to being in a class with all seniors. “Day one the seniors made jokes about the freshmen being the smart young kids,” Bays said. “Now they don’t treat them any differently. Some of the seniors have embraced them and have tried to help them out as much as they can.” Similarly to the opportunity handed to the AP Physics 1 students, many freshmen chose to take AP Human Geography this year. Instead of taking the typical global studies freshman course, students who excel in reading and social studies could take AP Human Geography instead. This was a new opportunity handed to the freshman class this year to ensure that students were being challenged to the best of their ability. As expected, all of the freshmen in social studies teacher Stephen Rose’s class “always get their work done, participate on a regular basis and ask questions frequently.” However, there are a few freshmen who are going above and beyond Rose’s expectations. “There are a few freshmen in my class who only get one or two questions wrong on tests with averages in the 60s and 70s,” Rose said. “They are far better than my sophomores last year. They really have impressed me so far this year.” One of Rose’s students who stuck out to him was freshman Jack Bay, who not only

took a step out of his comfort zone in the classroom, but socially and athletically as well. Immediately after starting high school, Bay joined the cross country team. He was also voted onto homecoming court in the fall by his peers. The transition from eighth grade into high school, while hard for many, was easy for Bay because of the positive connections he made right away. “A lot of freshmen weren’t as fortunate as I was to have previous relationships with upperclassmen,” Bay said. “This is a huge reason I am so comfortable here at school. It helps a lot to have upperclassmen reach out and help the freshmen.” While Bay was very fortunate to have upperclassmen to help him in his transition, many freshmen are left without the same advantage. Many upperclassmen, while they should be helping out the younger students, choose not to do so. The lack of older students reaching out to the younger students is contributing to the lack of freshmen getting involved in activities. When asked to describe the freshman class, Rose responded with a one word answer: timid. “They are always in fear of failing, but they have the ability to do amazing things,” Rose said. “One of my goals is to break my freshmen of their timidness throughout the year. Some of them are finally starting to break through the barrier.” While Rose is taking the steps to encourage

the freshmen, it should be a goal of the student body as well. In order to influence freshmen to step out of their comfort zone and try new things, it is important for upperclassmen to reach out to freshmen. Instead of spending time treating the freshmen differently at football games or booing while they do the Y-E-L-L cheer at assemblies, it is important that upperclassmen focus on building up the freshmen. Eventually, the freshmen class will become the senior class; they are the future of ACHS. From freshman year to senior year, students shape themselves into new people. “It is fun to watch the freshmen mold into who they are,” Bays said. “From freshman year to senior year, you grow up and change a lot. I think Antioch is starting to take steps in trying to intermix all of the grades.” The students who do take a chance and try something new end up excelling greatly, like Bay and the other AP students. It is important to take time to recognize the achievements that the underclassmen have accomplished at a young age. Getting started with a sport or an activity and succeeding should be admirable to students of all grade levels. Age does not define a person’s capability of success. What is important is what he or she does with their time in high school, and whether they took advantage of the opportunities they were given or not. It is important for upperclassmen to remember that they were once freshmen, too. While four years is a long time, there is one thing for sure: the freshmen weren’t born yesterday. TT The “I” Issue

Features

Tom Tom December 2016

IT’S NOT A SPRINT, IT’S A MARATHON

1. Plan for a long duration instead of a short one. 2. Pace yourself so that you can last a long time. BRANDEN GALLIMORE // Department Editor

A runner that sprints out of the gates to start and does not pace himself will not beat the runner that paces himself throughout the race. Focusing on the long run rather than on the then and now is more important; people that prepare for something in the long run rather than in the present will find themselves more successful. Although it may be tough, preparing for the future while in the present will lead to something more. All of this goes hand-in-hand with many different occasions. The athlete who may not be as good as the others but puts in the effort and work will find themselves playing more time than the ones they used to play behind. The actor that recites their lines over and over again might find themselves getting the lead role over the one that has been the lead for years. The student that has not had the greatest grades, but studies and pushes him or herself to be better oftentimes will find their grades getting better and better. In the end, what comes with greatness is practice. When someone says practice makes perfect, they really mean it. It is the people that push themselves to their limits to achieve their goals that will find themselves more successful than those who do not. “The key is not the ‘will to win,’ everybody has that. It is the will to prepare to win that is important,” Bob Knight, one of

PHOTO // NATASHA REID

the most decorated NCAA division I men’s basketball coaches ever said in an interview with ESPN. Everyone has the drive to win, but not everyone has the drive to push themselves to their limits to prepare to win. This is the motto that junior Joshua Nordhaus has preached his whole life. “It is a strong quote,” Nordhaus said. “It is a quote that I can compare myself to.” Nordhaus has had a passion for basketball ever since he started playing in middle school. “I started playing basketball because my friends pushed me to,” Nordhaus said. “I’m thankful for that.” Nothing for Nordhaus had ever gone his way. Since he was in the sixth grade, he tried out for basketball every year, but never made the team. He came out year after year pushing himself, but it never seemed to be enough. “I thought about giving up at points,” Nordhaus said. “But I just love playing the game too much.” All of this misfortune changed his sophomore year. Nordhaus spent almost every day of the summer at the Lindenhurst Park District shooting hoops. He would go there with

friends and sometimes he would go alone, pushing himself to get better. Nordhaus could tell he had gotten better, but did not know what to expect going into tryouts. “I tried out because I had fun with it,” Nordhaus said. “I just enjoyed being out there with friends.” After tryouts, Nordhaus found out he did not make the team, but he did receive a different opportunity. He got the chance to get as close to being on the team without actually being on it by becoming the manager. Nordhaus loved the opportunity; he got to spend time with his friends, travel with the team and even practice with them. “I wasn’t even mad I didn’t make the team,” Nordhaus said. “I accepted being the manager in a heartbeat.” About halfway through the season, Nordhaus received another opportunity, this time an opportunity he had always dreamt about. He got the opportunity to suit up with the team and take the court with them for the first time in his life. “I didn’t even see it coming,” Nordhaus said. “It was as much of a surprise to me as it was to everyone else.” In his first ever game, the Sequoits faced

the Grayslake Central Rams. Yet another one of his dreams came true when Nordhaus was put into the starting line up. Touching the ball in a game was something he only dreamed would happen. He made his first shot in the game of his life, and it was one to remember. “I had three guys guarding me,” Nordhaus said. “It was actually not a good shot choice, but it went in.” After five years of not making the basketball team, Nordhaus finally achieved his goal. It did not come easily to him, nor was he ever told it was going to be easy. Nordhaus spent countless days in the gym trying to work on his game. Nothing was ever given to him: not the shot that he worked on, the dribbling skills he improved on, or even the basketball player he had become. The effort Nordhaus has given into the game of basketball is greater than many others, and that has continued to show. In the long run, it may not be the person that is naturally gifted at something that comes out on top. It is the drive in the person that wants to get better and puts in the work and effort to achieve their goal that will be more successful over time. TT The “I” Issue

Features

20 Tom Tom December 2016

IN COLD BLOOD

1. Without remorse. 2. Without compassion. LAURYN HUGENER // Department Editor

Division 11. Tier CJ.

Bed 303.

Assignment 2.

From the Antioch Community High School football stadium to Cook County Jail, ACHS alumnus Cameron White now faces the title of alleged murderer and the label of having committed such actions in cold blood. In high school, the 2009 graduate was quiet; well-known, but quiet. Not only did White view himself in this way, but those around him and close to him did as well. However, what White’s introverted personality did not reveal about him was his passion—his passion for the game of football. White’s interest in football began when he was six or seven years old, and continued until he became the most decorated football player in Antioch’s history. “He’s one of the best football players ever,” football coach and social studies teacher Brian Glashagel said, who was White’s coach for his junior and senior seasons.

PHOTO // ATHLETICS

The “I” Issue

Features Along with his fame for football, White was also the 2008 homecoming king. “It was exciting,” White said. “Just to feel like I was the most popular.” Football was important to White, though for more than surface-level reasons. He maintained his status as a normal kid because of what football provided for him, beyond just a hobby. “It kept me out of trouble,” White said. “It kept me away from certain people I wasn’t supposed to be around.” The few years after high school were when No. 5’s life began to take a turn. Attending Eastern Illinois University for football, White set high goals for himself. Being the star in high school, the running back hoped the same fate would meet him in college. “It was not a good transition [from high school to college],” White said. “The thing I did best was play football, [but] I didn’t get the credentials to play freshman year. It was downing me to not be able to play. It was weird to me.” Feeling as though he didn’t have the opportunity to make a significant impact at Eastern Illinois, White left the school altogether, but not before getting dismissed from the football team after getting in a fight and failing drug tests. Today, White remains regretful about giving up his college football career. “I could’ve done better about going forth with it,” White said. “I came back home [and] got in trouble.” White planned on transferring colleges, but football coaches did not view him as eligible because of his poor grades. In the midst of this painful reality, White found himself involved in crime. “[My life took a turn] when I caught my first case,” White said. It was a burglary. To many, even a burglary seems unfathomable, but is insignificant in comparison to the events of the night of White’s 25th birthday. “It was a fight in the club,” White said. “I was in a party state of mind—like, drunk.” After an alleged altercation with security staff in the club, White, and apparently the three other culprits being investigated for this case, were not thinking about others. “I didn’t think about [my own family or life],” White said. At about 2 a.m. on Feb. 20, 2016, two victims were shot—one in the leg, one in the head—from a vehicle in Chicago’s South Loop, according to CBS Chicago.

The suspect now charged with two accounts of murder/intent to kill/injure is Antioch’s very own No. 5. According to Cook County’s Department of Corrections, White’s last court date was Dec. 1, 2016, in which White was planning to plead not guilty. White claims to be in the discovery stage of his trial, in which evidence is still being sorted through and obtained. “I’m sitting [in jail] until they have enough evidence against me,” White said. While there is alleged video surveillance, White believes to have not shot or killed anyone. Even so, he feels regretful about the injuries of the two victims; he does not know who they are, or what happened to them. Thus, to White, nothing was committed in cold blood. With his fate cloudy and undefined, White remains positive about his future and maintains relationships with his family. Among those who visit him in jail every two weeks are his mother, stepfather, sister, and, most importantly, the mother of his child and his 16-month-old daughter Arya. What he misses the most about his life before jail is, above all else, his child. “[She’s] my responsibility,” White said. “I’m just a person behind bars trying to be a father.” The extent to which White thinks of his family is exponentially more than he thinks about his successes in high school. He tries not to let his previous reputation stress him out during such a difficult and telling point in his life. “When I was living the football life, I didn’t know how big I was,” White said. “At the time, I was happy. Now, I don’t really think about it. I try to keep that behind me, in the past.” Even though he attempts to keep his past in the past, he is aware that his contemporary actions affect who he is perceived as in his home community and his once cherished reputation. Despite his criminal record and recent accusations, White still feels he should be honored at Antioch Community High School. “Yes, I think my reputation was tarnished,” White said. “It doesn’t really matter—I have other things to look forward to when I get back out. That chapter of my life is over.” With the hopes of release on his mind, White thinks about returning to college to study business or management and wants to be there for his daughter. “It’ll take a lot of work,” White said. “In eight to ten months, I should beat a case.” TT

“

[My daughter] is my responsibilit y. I’m just a person behind bars tr ying to be a father.

“

22 Tom Tom December 2016

WHITE SINCE CARDINAL AND GRAY Freshman to senior year, Cameron White was the star running back for the Antioch football team. Along with being a football star, White played guard for the Sequoit basketball team for his last two years and was a state medalist and record holder in track for Antioch. In 2008, White was voted as homecoming king his senior class. Also in 2008, White and the rest of the team went undefeated, until losing in the semifinals against Lemont. After he graduated, he attended Eastern Illinois University on athletic full-ride scholarship. In late February 2016, White was arrested outside of a Chicago nightclub. White was ordered to be held without bail. He was charged with two counts of aggravated battery with a firearm and two counts of first-degree attempted murder. December 1 was White’s last court date. He is currently being held in a Cook County prison. To follow along with his case, scan the Aurasma code below.

SYMONE HENDERSON // Tom Tom Staff

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT 1. To draw attention to something noteworthy. ILLUSTRATIONS // BOOKER GRASS, GABRIELLE KALISZ, JESSICA LAMBERTY, NATASHA REID, JASON WOOD

This feature section within a feature section is dedicated to the people, places, things and ideas that we often overlook every single day. Even better, this section is also a coloring book, so show your creative talents and color away. Use #SequoitsInColor to show off your creative works.

The “I” Issue

Features

RACHEL BECKMAN // Department Editor

t is effortless to roam the hallways of Antioch Community High School and think of the school as one of the oldest in Lake County with its little architectural and technical advances. However, the history hidden behind the building’s bricks display the alterations that occurred in the school and the aspects that have remained the same since its opening in 1915. There is a prominent change in the outlook of the walls that extend throughout many of the department-specific hallways at ACHS. The differences in coloration and texture reveal the school’s five main architectural transformations that occurred throughout the 1900s. The building that once housed just 184 students after its first renovation in 1926 opened its doors to more than 1,377 Sequoits during the ‘60s and ‘70s. Beginning with hallways extending at a width of two cars and a circular shape that linked the various departments within the school, the structural atmosphere has since shifted to a modern form that creates thinner hallways and a slight horse-shoe connection between them. Along with Antioch’s structural upgrades, its new classrooms boast technological advancements that keep up with today’s society. Television, computers and internet have found their way into the daily lives of Sequoit faculty and students, replacing the intricate typewriters that lined the tables of what are now computer labs. “We didn’t have computers to look up information on, but electronic typewriters,” alumna Robin Gwinn said. “Typing was actually one of my favorite classes and I remember that my typing speed, which we were tested on weekly, was 123 words per minute.” While the differing size, shape and color of the bricks in each hallway communicate the remodeled setting of Antioch, some believe the education system did not follow the change that the school sought to pursue in this time of progress. Science teacher Thomas Hoffeditz has worked at ACHS for 30 years and looks towards retirement at the end of the year. After experiencing slightly fewer than a third of the school’s development, Hoffeditz explained various changes and similarities that have taken place. New additions such as revamped classrooms, materials and technology continue to frame the school while the standardized classroom environment remains consistent. “Look at the advances we have made in phones and automobiles,” Hoffeditz said. “Looking at education, though, it is the same as it was in the 1940s: sit in rows, raise your hand and get called on.” With the Common Core model teaching the same basics of mathe-

24 Tom Tom December 2016

matics, reading, English and science that were seen almost 80 years ago, several teachers strive to improve this aspect of the school’s teaching style by following the popular revisions that countries such as Finland, Sweden and Germany exhibit. “We make kids have no interest in academics after they learn the simple skills,” Hoffeditz said. “When instead we could be teaching them to be viable citizens of society by letting them study their interests.” Despite America’s downfall of education in comparison to the rest of the world, ACHS constantly works towards enhancing this function of the school to meet the needs of students. Looking past the problems that the school chooses to overcome, the multi-patterned bricks that make up the foundation of the building reveal timeless features that Antioch still attains today. The amount of progress that the school has made in the last century reveal immense changes that produce benefits for students and staff alike. Throughout the years, the hundreds of families who have sent their kids to this high school notice positive changes through the experiences and opportunities their students receive. “The administration has been a lot more involved in the school,” junior Taylor Horner said. “It is always uplifting to see Mr. Hubbard at all the fine arts and sporting events compared to some of the administration from the past that my siblings had.” Today, ACHS highlights numerous academic departments and a variety of extracurriculars to foster achievement in those areas. It also presents a transformed administrative committee that makes it a priority to be supportive of students, teachers and the well-being of the school in all areas. maintaining an atmosphere that annually expands in diversity and culture in addition to growing educational and athletic programs, ACHS students are led towards successful career paths. In discovering the outcome of the millions of dollars’worth of renovations ACHS experienced in the past, there is a deeper meaning that follows the cement, clay and stone bricks that upholds the weight of this prospering school. The distinct changes that are apparent in the walls affirm the school’s flourishing evolution that is sometimes missed in everyday encounters. Although they thought of as unimportant components within this hundred-year old school, the timeless bricks lining each hallway display the historical revisions made within ACHS and the school’s ambition to continues to push towards a bigger and better source of opportunity for the students that step through its doors each year. TT

SEQUOITS ASSIST WITH HURRICANE RELIEF

ANTHONY MURRAY // Tom Tom Staff

magine waking up everyday in a nice comfortable bed to the smell of a wonderful breakfast. Now, imagine waking up freezing cold and to the awful smell of garbage. Most people in this world could imagine the first scenario better than the second. But for some, waking up cold is a daily occurrence. People around the world are starving and homeless, where every day is a fight for survival. Some of those people live right here in Antioch. There are many programs that help those in need, such as shelters that give people a place to sleep and food for them to eat. One program in particular that sticks out from all the rest is Open Arms Mission. One of the many wonderful deeds Open Arms Mission does is provide non-perishable food items. Non-perishable food items are given out because they can last a long time without needing to be refrigerated. These items include canned goods such as corn, beans, green beans, carrots and

soup. These canned goods are donated by the community and stores that may have overstocked. They also get these items from Boy Scout and Cub Scout troops who go around neighborhoods once a year collecting items. Open Arms also provides families with some of the small things in life, such as paper towels and other miscellaneous items. Families with kids of all ages do not need to worry. Open Arms offers diapers for families with babies. They also give out toothbrushes, toothpaste, paper towels, toilet paper, deodorant and much more. This helps give families in need the ability to have proper hygiene and live a clean, healthy life. Open Arms has a special program that is designed to help out kids who are in need of school supplies. They also have a program that puts together backpacks for kids when they go to school so they are equipped with all the necessary tools needed. The backpack contains pencils, pens, highlighters, crayons, colored pencils and markers. With everything that Open

Arms does, they can get very busy and overwhelmed. Luckily, they have great volunteers to help keep operations running smooth. Open Arms is full of volunteers who come and help by loading boxes into people’s cars. They make sure the back of the building is organized and work hard to make sure that the distribution of items are done correctly and efficiently. Families can donate old toys to Open Arms. On Christmas day, Open Arms will give out those toys to families who may not be fortunate enough so they can have a magical Christmas, too. There are many great services Open Arms does for the community of Antioch and for the surrounding communities. Not a lot of people know how much they do for people in need. Open Arms helps change people's lives on a daily basis. The people who work there do not get paid, but instead are rewarded with the happiness brought to those whom they have helped. TT

On September 28, 2016, when Hurricane Matthew hit, the AP Spanish students immediately knew they needed to step up to help the 800 victims. The hurricane lasted for ten days, affecting the countries of Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica and Bahamas, and southeast United States. The hurricane led to major damage, leaving many people without homes and basic everyday items. Seeing the effects Hurricane Matthew had on so many Spanish-speaking countries inspired teacher Rachel Morales and her AP Spanish students to help the victims. Morales and her first and seventh hour Spanish classes created a fundraiser to raise money for the victims. In case you missed it, there is more to Allison Smith’s story about how Morales’s AP Spanish class supported Hurricane Matthew relief. Scan the Aurasma code to read the rest of the story.

The “I” Issue

Features

CHLOE MORITZ // Tom Tom Staff

ithin each person there is an artist. Whether someone sees it or not can be controversial, but on the inside, he or she possesses some form of creativity. Some write stories or create grand sculptures, while others just stick to drawing. What people do not realize is that there are many different works of art displayed all throughout the school that people tend to walk past everyday. These works of art are the ceiling tiles that mark the pathways to the English, fine arts, foreign language and social studies hallways, and line the ceilings of certain classrooms. These ceiling tiles show the many creative abilities of students in ways that express who these students are as people. There are certain teachers throughout the school who allow students to paint ceiling tiles in their rooms, or create projects that help students use the knowledge they learned in class and apply it in more creative ways. “It was a different way to do an assignment, unlike the typical presentation type stuff,” senior Karley Rosenquist said. “I wanted to kind of mix it up and get out there because I like doing creative things like painting and drawing just for fun. So that really interested me, and I figured just to switch it up.” This gives many students the opportunity to be more creative and make the project feel less like an assignment. Though not all the ceiling tiles around the school were projects created by teachers. Many of the ceiling tiles around the school are not really projects. Most of them, including the ones in some of the math classrooms, were made by students who asked certain teachers if they could paint them just for fun. “Kids just did them; they asked me if they could have a ceiling tile, I said yes, and they took them home for the fun of it,” math teacher Andrew Benton said. “I didn’t make it an assignment, it was just kind of random,” math teacher Arnold Glapajone said. “I had some students that asked me if their tiles could line the ceiling of the room.” Some students liked to put sayings or inside jokes that they remembered from that certain class into their tiles. “I noticed that inside jokes that I wouldn’t think of they would put down,” Benton said. “This one girl wrote down ‘coma county’ which is what I called their class because they were so quiet.” Many of the ceiling tiles reflect something new about certain students that might have been hidden. “I had a student who made a ceiling tile, and she put the word ‘explore’ on it with kind of a cool back drop, but that showed me a different side of her,” Glapajone said. “It told me the she’s more adventurous than I would have thought previously.” The tiles showed the out-of-the-box creativity in students. It showed how certain students were able to take things that seemed unusable and turn them into something extraordinary. “One girl that was always eyeing the ceiling tile was like ‘can I have a ceiling tile,” Benton said. “I said fine and I gave her a broken one. I didn’t know what she was going to do with it, but then she made this awesome sun-moon masterpiece and I was blown away.” Students every day pass these magical works of art without even realizing the bigger meaning that is hidden within them. It shows how students were able to express the things they enjoyed most in their school year, along with revealing a little more about themselves in the process. TT

26 Tom Tom December 2016

The “I” Issue

Features

SPOOKY SEQUOITS LOGAN WEBER // Department Editor

wo years ago, art teacher Julie Elver delivered the graduation speech for the centennial school year graduates. During her speech she recalled a time when she went into the basement to retrieve some materials for her sculpture, and when she went down there, she saw “The Ghost of Sequoit Past.” Although Elver shared this memory for her graduation speech, this was just a story. She admits to making up the story for entertainment purposes, and on top of that, she does not even believe that the school is haunted. “I have a hard time believing in supernatural things, unless there is real proof,” Elver said. “You have to have evidence and backup.” According to Michael Kleen, the writer of the Mysterious Heartland, a site ranking the most haunted schools in Illinois, an Antioch art teacher witnessed all the lockers open and close, in unison, while she was gathering supplies in the basement. Kleen ranked Antioch Community High School as the fourth most haunted high school in Illinois.

28 Tom Tom December 2016

During her speech, Elver claimed to make up the story about the lockers as well. However, she gave the speech for graduation two years ago and the Mysterious Heartland rankings came out five years ago. So, there is a possibility that ghosts could actually be in the school, and the story could have spawned from an earlier art teacher. There are some students of ACHS that do not side with Elver and her ideas. Senior Sarah Opolka believes that the school is truly haunted and has seen some unnatural occurrences herself. During her freshman year, she was a part of a lock-in for the volleyball team. Some of the seniors at the time thought it would be funny to try and scare the freshmen. The group of seniors opened all the lockers near the auditorium and acted like they were never in the hallway. “When we walked past at first, we thought it was a ghost, but then we all found out that it was the girls on Varsity,” Opolka said. “So, we closed all of the lockers, but when we came back, there was one locker open.” She and her friends asked the Varsity players if they knew anything about the locker

being open, and they were not even in the locker bay. There was another instance in her freshman year when Opolka witnessed a supernatural act. She was at the school late after school one day, and she was meeting with one of her teachers. There was no one else in sight or in the school besides the custodial crew. “I walked past an exit sign to get to my teacher’s room, and it was perfectly fine,” Opolka said. “When I walked out, there was a piece of it on the floor.” However, Opolka does not voice the opinion of the entire student body. Fellow senior Justin Prinn does not think the school is haunted. “I do not think the school is haunted simply because I do not believe in ghosts,” Prinn said. Prinn also does not believe that a drama student hung himself in the auditorium, as legend has it. So, is the school really haunted? That is the question that may never get a clear answer. TT

FOREST PRESERVES IN LAKE COUNTY Forest preserves are a way for public municipalities to protect natural resources and provide residents with a place to enjoy nature. Without these established protection areas, many forests and animal habitats would be destroyed. People in our area would need to travel to find areas to hike, fish and enjoy the outdoors.

JAYME BAILEY // Tom Tom Staff

n August 24, 2016, an exoplanet named Proxima B was found orbiting just outside Proxima Centauri, the closest star to our sun. But this is not like any other planet discovery, Proxima B is now sitting in the habitable zone. Proxima B shares a lot of similar characteristics with Earth, like its size. This could mean that Proxima B has the potential to host liquid water, thus having the possibility to hold life. The one downside of this great discovery is that Proxima B is 4.2 light years away. In Earth years, that would take 17,900 years to reach Proxima B. This is one of the biggest problems with finding out if the planet has the ability to host life or not. Scientists need to get a picture of Proxima B to see if it has an atmosphere. If Proxima B does not have an atmosphere, the water believed to be liquid will most likely be solid and that will eliminate the ability to find any life, or our ability to inhabit the planet.

“I think it would be hard to tell if [Proxima B] can host liquid water based on scientists not knowing if it has an atmosphere or not,” science teacher Stacy Terlep said. “In my opinion, that is a very important detail to determine if it hosts liquid water or not. If the planet did not lose its water in its creation stage and an atmosphere is present, it could very well host liquid water.” The only way we can discover if this alien planet can be habitable is by getting a photo of Proxima B, but how long will this take? “It depends upon your reference of time,” science department chair Gregory Bays said. “I think the near future, as in the next five to ten years. No, probably not. But if you’re talking about the next 50 to 100 years. Then maybe it is a possibility. It just depends on our space exploration and the speeds at which we see things increase. We got pictures of Pluto relatively closeup, but the satellite that took that picture took 20 years to get close enough to Pluto. For it to get to

Proxima B, it would depend upon the investment we put into the space exploration of it.” Just because scientists may not be able to obtain a picture relatively soon, does not mean the possibilities and hope for this discovery should be diminished. It took scientists 15 years to make it to the point in the discovery that we are at now. “It is just really exciting to be honest,” Bays said. “One of the most exciting things about [Proxima B] is that there is so much potential in it. We could get there and see nothing but rock and desert. However, we could get there and just see green and life everywhere. It is that thought of what could be there that makes this discovery so interesting.” Despite the long time frame, many people are excited about Proxima B and what it has in store. This major astronomical discovery is slowly becoming a reality as we learn more about Proxima B. The possibilities for this exoplanet are endless and should not be forgotten. TT

These preserves were established in 1957 by Ethel Untermyer. When Untermyer first moved to Lake County from Chicago, she and her three-year-old son Frank wanted to go walking in the woods. New to the area, Untermyer asked a neighbor where the nearest forest preserve was. She was stunned to discover that Lake County had none especially since, at that time, Cook County already had 47,000 acres protected, according to The Lake County Forest Preserves website. In case you missed it, there is more to Alexandra Rapp’s story about the forest preserves in Lake County. Scan the Aurasma code to read the rest of the story.

The “I” Issue

Features

The town of Antioch has gone through several renovations throughout its history, but the Old Schoolhouse, built in 1892, still stands strong on the corner of Main Street and Depot Street. It is an emblem of the town’s success and holds the unforgettable memories of the students who attended from 1892 to 1971. The Old Schoolhouse is the second established school in the town and it provided early education to elementary students and underclassmen high school students. It served as a school until 1971 and became a museum in 1987. In case you missed it, there is more to Jessica Lamberty’s story about the Old Antioch Schoolhouse. Scan the Aurasma code to read the rest of the story.

GRACE BOUKER // Department Editor

magine graduating from high school, but then coming back… every single day. This is an idea most would oppose, but 20 students defy the norm at Antioch Community High School. After accomplishing the high school graduation requirements, these students do indeed graduate, but they don’t receive their diplomas. Instead, they continue learning and experiencing work in a school setting. This setting is called a transition program, and it is led by staff members Jenna Ludden and Andrew Seketa. The program is intended to develop young adults and prepare them for future stumbling blocks life may offer. For example, the students fill out job applications, simulate job interviews, make grocery lists, practice depositing checks and work on improving awareness of social cues, among other things. If practicing skills was all the transition program did, it would still be unique and impactful in itself; however, possibly the most remarkable thing about the transition program is the work experience it provides. The students have the ability to choose a general field of work and are then placed by sponsors into a business in the community. There, they work for two hours every day and are observed by either a job coach or a manager. Their observer grades them based on their progress with skills like productivity, accuracy and relationships with co-workers. There is open communication between the people in the community that allow students to come and work in their businesses and the administrators at school. “We check in with the managers frequently on how the student is doing there,” Ludden said. The students don’t get paid for their work, but their work can be compared to an internship or work-study. “I, in college, took jobs that I didn’t get paid for because I wanted to put

30 Tom Tom December 2016

them on my resumé,” Seketa said. “So that when you leave here, you have a resume to say, ‘I worked here, I had these responsibilities’ and then you have past experience and are desirable.” Although the students don’t get paid in money, they are paid in experience. What is exceptional about the job sites is that some companies and businesses offer continuing jobs, or full employment for the same work, even though the transition program is only available to adults between the ages of 18 and 21. “It’s age driven according to state laws,” Ludden said. “Some students, depending on what their needs are, might only be here for a semester. Some students might be here for a year. Some students might be here for four years. Some students may need to be here longer, but they turn 22 and they can no longer be here.” ACHS graduate Kami Zbiral, almost 19 years old, is a member of the transition program and loves it. Since the program is run by the district but housed at ACHS, previous Lakes Community High School students combine with former ACHS students. Because of this, Zbiral has had the opportunity to meet new people when participating at school and at work sites. Furthermore, the program has experienced massive growth over the last three years, so much so that there are two classes instead of one this year. The two classes are split almost

evenly, as one class has nine students and the other has 11. One group goes off to their separate jobs in the morning for two hours, while the other group is at school learning and practicing life skills. They overlap late in the morning, and then switch shifts at around noon. “[The most fun part about transition is] how to learn about stuff like how to do job applications,” Zbiral said. “I [also] have fun going on trips.” Though some of the students work at grocery stores, the program goes on field trips to grocery stores like Sam’s Club and Wal-Mart, and other places like the bank to apply the skills that they practice in the classroom. After the students turn 22, they receive their diploma, stretch their wings and fly. Zbiral hopes to continue working at her current job site, or somewhere similar to it after she graduates out of the transition program. The transition program goes largely unnoticed in the community, but the impact it has on the lives of individuals in the community does not. All with the end goal of living on their own someday, students practice skills in hopes of making helping around the house easier, being employable and getting and keeping a job within the community. Many aren’t aware that this transition program helps young adults ease into their adult life and provides adults with experience that they wouldn’t have otherwise. In case you missed it, transition programs change lives. TT

“

When you leave here, I had these responsibilities and the you have past experience and are desirable.

“

AUTHENTIC BY NATURE, ROOTED THROUGH HISTORY

The “I” Issue

Features

MEGAN HELGESEN // Social Media Director

n case you missed it, the light was not green, it was red. In case you missed it, that car was not going straight, it was turning right. In case you missed it, car accidents are actually a big deal. In fact, one just occurred while reading this. According to Teen Driver Source, six teenagers ages 16 to 19 die every day from motor vehicle accident injuries; this age group stands out among all the others for having a greater risk of being in a motor vehicle accident. Unfortunately, three of Antioch’s very own contributed to verifying this risk. Tiffany Road in Antioch has always been the road that senior Alex Unekis takes when coming home from work, always arriving home at the same time every night. However, one night was different for Unekis; this spooky, October night was when this senior fell out of his usual routine—for a while atleast. “I was at least a half mile from home when I looked behind me and I saw this guy coming at me at 50 miles per hour,” Unekis said. “I was completely stopped when this guy hit me. He hit me so hard that my whole center dash ended up in the back seat and the back seats ended up by the roof. All of my back windows were smashed and there was glass everywhere.”

32 Tom Tom December 2016

Of course Unekis, like many others, never thought it would ever happen to him, and unfortunately, something like that cannot be taken back; it stays with someone forever. “When I drive now, I always look back,” Unekis said. “I get nervous whenever I see a car coming up on me fast. I won't turn down that road anymore unless no one is behind me.” Unekis later made sense of the fact that the man was three times over the legal drinking limit and had an expired license plate and no insurance. The culprit conveniently missed the speed limit and chose to go 20 over. The culprit clearly looked past the legal drinking limit and chose to drive anyways because his life was seemingly more important. The culprit was oblivious to the damage that drunk driving causes to others on the road. He missed it; he missed all of it. “I was always against drinking and driving, but now I really don't have any respect for people that do it,” Unekis said. “It is unfortunate though because I feel like people will drink and drive no matter what, but if they start to complain that they don't have a license anymore because of getting caught, I won't feel bad for them at all.” P.E. and Driver’s Ed. teacher Heather Coleman sides with Unekis on this matter.

“I tell them that driving is scary because not only do you have to worry about what you are doing, you have to worry about the idiots out there making poor decisions which can affect you,” Coleman said. Unekis stands as one of the few that have not been physically affected by a drunk driver; however, the same can’t be said about his mentality. Because of this man, who missed the dangers of drinking and driving, Unekis remains paranoid while driving, and most likely will for the rest of his life. Just a small amount of time passed before another accident involving two of Antioch’s students occurred. Seniors and twin sisters Amy and Ashley Reiser shared an experience so similar, yet so different to Unekis’s. “All I really remember is seeing the headlights coming at us as I was turning,” Amy said. “I'm pretty sure I closed my eyes on the impact because the next thing I saw was us turned in the opposite direction.” An experience so scary, yet so life changing, altered driving for many. All because one man missed the speed limit. All because one man missed the train. All because drivers in these towns miss how big of a deal driving is, and how important other people’s lives are apart from their own. TT

NICO CHIAPPETTA // Tom Tom Staff

thletes are hard working individuals, striving to make the best of themselves and, most importantly, the team. They do not have to be on the starting Varsity lineup to be considered a great player. A scout player can be an athlete who tries to replicate the other team’s players to prepare the team for the upcoming game. Each player helps improve the team whether they are a scout player or starting on the Varsity team. The difference between the two is that some get all the credit, while the others are left in the dark. Unlike Varsity players, JV players and teams receive minimum recognition and credit for the hard work and effort they put into the season. They are pushed to the side while the Varsity teams are the stars of the school. While hiding in the shadows, some of the Sequoit JV teams have been achieving great amounts of success. Although not being the stars of the Varsity show, it has not stopped them from trying to be the best. One team that was quietly dominating their conference was the Antioch Sequoit JV football team; they had an outstanding season, finishing 8-1, but few heard about their season’s success. “I feel like we had a great season this past year, but I hate that no one shows up to watch our games,” junior Jaden Devaughn said. “For our only loss, we were missing a lot of key players because they got moved up to play on the Varsity team.” Something that the JV players usually never get to experience that the Varsity players do is always having fans at their games. Minimal fans come to watch and support the team, which can bring the team’s confidence down. However, one thing JV players can ex-

perience with the rest of the team is Varsity playing time. In many of the games throughout the season, JV players would go in to play the rest of the Varsity games; thus, the JV players contributed to much of the Varsity team’s success. When the season was coming to a close and playoffs were starting, many JV players had to step up to the challenge when their name was called to play at the Varsity level. In the last two playoff games of the season, the Sequoits had six JV players suit up and start on the Varsity lineup due to many injuries on the Varsity team. With the help of the JV players, the Sequoit football team was of the best teams the school has seen in a long time. Another successful team that is relatively unheard of is the girl’s JV volleyball team. The girls had a dominating season, only falling short in a couple games. The girls success does not seem to matter though as they are pushed around to different practice locations, despite the fact that they work just as hard as the Varsity team. “I don’t think we get as much credit as we deserve at all because we were sometimes

pushed to the back of small gyms if we did not have enough practice space,” junior Breanna Kramer said. The girls were being moveed around and had to deal with it. They cannot defend themselves either because they are considered, “just the JV team.” Even with all the success they were achieving as the season went on, they did not get any sympathy. “It is definitely tough working in smaller space, but we kept our hopes high and kept practicing just as hard as the Varsity team,” Kramer said. Even though not many people credited the team for their hard work, they kept pushing away all the obstacles they had to face, which led to them becoming one of the best girls JV volleyball teams in their regional. Everyone has a role on the team that leads to the team's success. JV players help the Varsity team be the best they can be, from playing scout to having to step up to play a starting spot. While most of the JV teams fly under the radar, getting little to no attention, the players and coaches know how much of a key role they play to the team. TT

The “I” Issue

Features Perspective

READING IS GOOD FOR YOU With such busy schedules, people find sitting down and reading a hard task. Trying to find time to even read a magazine, newspaper or a book stresses out some people. In the morning, when students sit in the library socializing, they could be looking for a good item to read. Reading brings new light to individuals when they understand the benefit to their health and what reading can do. In case you missed it, there is more to Nicole Peterson’s story about the advantages of reading. Scan the Aurasma code to read the rest of the story.

LAUREN BLUTHARDT // Tom Tom Staff

n case it isn’t obvious here in Antioch, trains… stink. Forget making that 5:30 a.m. practice or picking a sibling up on time; there is no chance, especially here in the good-ole town of Antioch. Compared to other surrounding towns, it seems that this growing village has adopted trains as a social norm. Yes, we can all agree on the fact that the ‘choo-choo’ machines define where and what time we get there, but do we know how to overcome these honkin’ modes of transportation?

TIP #1: LEAVE AT LEAST FIVE MINUTES EARLIER

No matter a person's age, we can all agree a slow freighter makes us pull our hair out, especially the freights that just stop in the middle of a highly traveled road, cough-cough, Route 173. These metras and freighters block significant paths for students and staff, including sophomore Karina Steitz. This student has first-hand accounts of Antioch’s never ending railroads being both a Varsity field hockey and a soccer player. “Being an athlete is a huge part of the train tracks,” Steitz said. “We have

34 Tom Tom December 2016

gotten stuck several times on our way to practice.” Although a nuisance, trains have been the building blocks for Antioch’s economy since 1996 when the North Central Service came into play bringing Metra through Antioch daily.

TIP #2: DON’T CROSS THE RAILROAD WHEN THERE’S A TRAIN

It’s okay, we all do it, but it is in fact, illegal. Yes, it is possible to get a fine here in Antioch. Crossing the gate because the metra is crawling seems to be reasonable, but it is still highly dangerous—do not do it. To highlight the true danger, in 1989 The Chicago Tribune reported the death of three 16-year-old students from Antioch who passed away from a freight that struck their car. The students ignored the flashing warning lights down by Route 173 because at the time the railroad had no gates. These gates were incorporated for community safety; be aware of them. When citizens hear the word “trains,” is the first thought positive or negative? For some, the metra and freighters are a norm for their daily annoyance, including junior Ellie Goodman. “The only time trains have really

affected my life is when I drive,” Goodman said. “I have to stop on my way home from school for the trains to pass so frequently.”

TIP #3: DON’T WORRY, TRAINS MAKE ANTIOCH OUR HOME

For some, growing up here is all they know. Most have lived with the same friends for years, even playing at Centennial park and creating some of the most memorable memories. Others eventually moved into a town that has shone with spirit and commitment in order to build a community of innovation. Trains may be a pest, but making sure to not forget the memories made is valuable in who we are. Discussing the tricky math test and cracking jokes continue to be some of the most prominent thoughts that keep us in touch with who we are, and where we come from. Antioch’s train depots and tracks have reflected our lives in a way that most towns and cities do not notice or have to deal with; but here, in the Village of Antioch, we deal with some extraordinary things that have come to be social norms. Yes, trains indeed make Antioch original. TT

JOHN HOWE // Public Relations Director

thletic trainers give athletes an easily accessible way to prevent and treat injuries. They are available from right after school until every sport is done with their activity for the day, circulating the fields and gyms and checking in on athletes that may have been injured recently. The typical day for an athletic trainer begins with arriving at the school at approximately 2:00 p.m. so they have enough time to prepare filling out paperwork, setting up fields or courts and making sure there are enough materials for the day. After school is out, student-athletes from all sports rush in to get done what is needed prior to attending practice, whether that is getting taped, doing exercises or heating muscles. Once this “rush hour” is done, the trainers begin to circulate the facilities, staying ready for any emergency calls. After practices and games are over, ice is always armed and available for every athlete that may have gotten a few bumps and bruises, or just anyone looking to relax their muscles. Both athletic trainers, Ryan Naes and Bryn Nottoli, stated their favorite things about being an athletic trainer. For Naes, he sees athletic training as a way to be a part of a team and regain that feeling of being involved in sports his entire high school career. “My favorite part is seeing athletes who come in, some of them at a point where they have never been before, whether that is physically or mentally, through a course of time being able to help and get them back onto the field,” Naes said. Nottoli looks at athletic training from a similar point of view, in that he loves to see athletes get the opportunity to recover from an injury and

come back to play with more integrity and heart than ever before. “We kind of go from, in some cases, the worst day of their lives to returning back to the field and getting out there, showing everybody the athleticism and pride that they have within their sport, and that’s the best thing to watch,” Nottoli said. Aspiring athletic trainer senior Danielle Tebbe looks up to Naes and Nottoli for words of wisdom and early practice in the profession as she gets a hands-on experience in the typical day of an athletic trainer. “I like the school environment, not an office environment like a physician’s assistant,” Tebbe said. “I like the activity that goes on in here I like to see all of the people come in and out.” Tebbe is in the trainer’s office every day, eager to wrap the next ankle or wrist that walks through the door. Tebbe enjoys the fast-pace activity that happens in the athletic training office, starting at 2:50 p.m. until about 4:00 p.m. when practices are in full swing for the day.

Although they may not get the praise they should, athletic trainers are a big part in not just one team’s success, but the success of an entire athletic program at any school. TT

The “I” Issue

Features

CHRISTINA MICHAELS // Senior Editor

magine this: a community made up of a diverse population filled with a variety of ideas, coming together as one. Inside that community stands two schools that give this perfect picture such vibrant color. What gives these schools such a prominent role in the community is their healthy relationships with one another. This healthy relationship is such a vital factor for the big picture because the schools do represent the community as a whole. But, sadly, this concept is oftentimes overlooked or forgotten; some people tend to look at this image in only cardinal and gray or royal blue and red. “I think it is best for our students that we have a healthy relationship between the two schools so that ultimately we are able to give respect to our students in the best way possible,” principal Bradford Hubbard said. “By healthy relationship, I mean a collaborative relationship, professionally, where we are developing our teachers together. I think that in the end, the community will see how well our schools function together so it will strengthen the bond we all share.” Every community faces rivalries, whether it be in academics or athletics. While every player or competitor has the mindset to win, it is also important to remember to maintain a healthy competition and help one another grow from losses, or even cheer each other on. For a student, there is nothing better than going against the school’s “sister school.” Antioch’s sister school is Lakes Community High School, and this means they are each other’s number one rivales as well. Sometimes

36 Tom Tom December 2016

the games get so intense that injuries occur, too. Junior Andrew Hare knew about this all too well. “I tore a football player on the Lakes Varsity football team’s ACL during the Lakes vs. Antioch game,” Hare said. “He knows that I didn’t mean to do it; it’s just a part of the game.” While Antioch does compete against Lakes in every sport and academic program, it is important for both schools to maintain a healthy rivalry. While we can be opponents, we also need to be supporters ,too. “After the game when I apologized, he was all fine with it because we are good friends and it was also n o t too bad of an injury,” Hare said. “But I really think us being friends helped him not be as upset about it. I feel like since we all grew up with each other; for example, people coming from Antioch Upper Grade school, Emmons or other middle schools around the district, we have all been playing sports against each other for a while, so I think it is good to have that type of friendly, yet competitive, relationship.” From the competitiveness to the academics, it is crucial to always make sure to be thoughtful of peers, whether they be at ACHS or LCHS. To have a club that allows students from both schools to join is a very special thing because it does stress the idea of respect, and Interact Club does just this.

“Interact club is really different from any other club,” junior Jordan DeLara said. “I think it is nice and beneficial because you get to meet new people; it truly is a diverse club. And I think because it is not people that solely come from Antioch, there is a new culture that comes along with it too.” Establishing healthy relationships among peers and teachers between different schools is a skill that should never be forgotten. This skill also prepares the students to form healthy relationships for the future. “I believe the students will see the healthy relationship that the administration displays and that they will learn from it,” LCHS principal David Newberry said. “I hope that they also see that it is okay to be competitive and it is okay to want to do better than someone you are competing with. But, in the end, we all live in the same community and that it is competi-

tive, but in a good nature.” From academics to teaching, behind every student learning new information is a hard working teacher. To imagine a day filled with racing between both ACHS and LCHS seems exhausting. But, there are some teachers that fulfill this task to the best of their ability, representing both schools with so much pride and making sure there is a positive relationship between both schools. “I teach Food and Fitness at both schools, so it is nice that I teach the same class at both schools,” career and technical ed-

ucation teacher Caitlin O’Grady said. “Some days are crazy though with the traveling back and forth from both school grounds. I do enjoy seeing different staff, being with different kids and different buildings.” While it is obvious that students learn from their teachers, students also learn non-academic criteria from their teachers as well. It is crucial for the teachers to also

be displaying a positive attitude about their sister school so that the students are able to learn and replicate this behavior, too. “I do always get asked ‘what school do you like better,’” O’Grady said. “I do not like either school better; I truly do enjoy teaching at both schools. I cannot rank them saying one is better than the other. When I am at Lakes, I am an Eagle, and when I am at Antioch, I am

a Sequoit. You just have to have that attitude, and if it starts with us, then the students will hopefully pick up that mentality too.” ACHS and LCHS will always be there for each other, whether it be each other’s competitor or supporter. Whatever it may be, in the end, we are all one big community, and that is one beautiful picture to look at and be a part of. TT

The “I” Issue

Sports HOCKEY

IN SEASON

The Lakers hockey team is not starting off the way they wanted to; they are currently 1-5-1 and are looking to improve their record. “We had a rough start, but the organization has made some changes and we are now ready to go out and win some games,” senior captain Ryan Hanes said. There are still plenty of games left in the Lakers season for the team to be able to make a quick turnaround. TT BY LOGAN WEBER

DANCE The dance team is looking forward to taking advantage of this winter season; they have been working for a couple of weeks in preparation for the competition season. The team is prepared and determined, which led them to have a good outcome in the first competition at Mundelein high school. “The first competition went really well,” senior Sarah Scwatner said. “We got fifth and it was a great start to the competition season.” The team competed on December 11 at Stevenson High School. At the time of printing the team’s score and placement was not released. Schwantner has higher expectations for herself and the team for the next competition on January 8 at Huntley High School. TT BY JARED DEBOER

38 Tom Tom December 2016

PHOTO // JR JOHNSON

he Varsity girls basketball team is off to a terrific start with promising views of a successful future ahead. The team’s record is 6-1. Four of the wins were in a preseason tournament; unfortunately, the girls lost the first game of that tournament, which prevented them from taking home first place. In addition, the loss was a nail biting game as the game concluded 42-39, not in favor of the Sequoits. Since then, the girls have come together as a team and blown past all their opponents. The girls were suc-

cessful in winning their first two conference games: they defeated Wauconda 53-33 and Grant 64-46. “I’m really looking forward to going down to state this year with this team because we have the ability to and I know we will make it,” senior Erika Gallimore said. “Plus, it will be an amazing experience for all of us.” The state tournament will begin in late February. TT

The wrestling season has started off well with a record of 10-2; however, they lost their first conference meet to Wauconda. The state rankings came out on December 6, and Antioch has five wrestlers in the top ten for their respective weight classes. Patrick Schoenfelder and George Bessette are both ranked first in state. Freshman Luke Menzies is ranked fourth coming off a recent key victory against Carmel’s Riley Palm, who was previously ranked fourth. Sophomore Xavier Sanchez is ranked ninth and Niall Schoenfelder is currently tenth. The team is looking to continue their success this winter and bring home multiple state champions this spring. “The team is looking great this season, and we have a lot of potential with many underclassmen starting on Varsity,” senior George Bessette said. TT

After just becoming an official sport this year, Antioch’s swimming team has already had athletes achieving great success. Junior Aubrey Lonergan has joined Sequoit alumna Dominique Bessette as a state qualifier. Lonergan has exceeded her own expectations for the season. “I was actually really surprised,” Lonergan said. “I didn’t think that I was going to qualify.” Not only was Lonergan excited that she qualified for state, she is also excited for the future of Sequoit swimming. “We definitely want more people to come out and swim,” Lonergan said. “But also, we are hoping to have more state qualifiers in the future.” Next year, coach and English teacher Jim Hellen hopes for a larger team and more publicity. TT

WRESTLING

BY LOGAN WEBER

BY ALEX RUANO

SWIMMING

BY BRANDEN GALLIMORE

IN SEASON

Sequoit Snapshot

Sophomore Austin Andrews goes for a layup in the sophomore Sequoits game against Mundelein. The Varsity Sequoits would go on to lose to the Mustangs later that night. PHOTO // JR JOHNSON

The “I” Issue

Sports The bowling team started the season 1-2, winning against Round Lake with a total pin count of 2,267. Their two losses have been against Wauconda, having a total pin count of 2,515, and Grant, having a total pin count of 2,403. The Varsity players are Samantha Knab, Lynn Michalec, Alison Kane and Jayme Bailey. The alternates on the team are Taylor Comer and Kayla Tikovitsch. “As a team, we’ve got new team members, and we seem to be clicking together,” Knab said. “We give lots of support to one another and we are full of energy. We have the potential to do well, but it helps if we all have strong scores on the same day.” TT BY PETER BOEH

BOWLING

CHEERLEADING The cheerleading competition season is now in full force. The girls have been practicing every day to perfect their routine that they have received only weeks ago. Their first competition was scheduled to be on Sunday, December 11, but was cancelled due to weather. “I think that we are doing really well this year overall, and even with all the bumps in the road, we are overcoming them,” sophomore Emily Torres said. “The stunts look good and everything else does, too. I really think though that for the first competition we are prepared.” Last year the cheerleaders had a tough season, but this year everyone is confident that the audience will be blown away. TT BY STEFFANIE RICHARDSON

TOP 3 FOLLOWS

BOYS BASKETBALL

PHOTO // JILLIAN EVERETT

This year’s basketball season is off to a slow start with a current record of 2-5. With the team having a bountiful amount of energy, they are trying to develop better chemistry with one another on and off the court. “I think the season is going pretty well so far, as we are 1-2 in conference,” junior Jaden Devaughn said. The team’s next invitational is December 22 at Marengo. TT BY ANTHONY

PHOTO // JR JOHNSON MURRAY

40 Tom Tom December 2016

@BLEACHERREPORT They make sports fun by telling jokes or making a good laugh out of anything going on in the sports world. @SPORTSCENTER SportsCenter tweets quick and live with what happen in the game and all the stats that you would need to know the morning after. @SPORTSILLUSTRATED Sports Illustrated has all things sports from new to old. They can give you a history lesson on sports. They give news and scores, while always putting athletes at the forefront of their coverage. MATTHEW ROWE // Tom Tom Staff

TomTomTries: DANCE

See what happens when four boys decide to step off of the field and into the dance room. PHOTO // REBEKAH CARTLIDGE JASON WOOD // Print Director

tepping into Shine Bright Studio, my heart started racing; I was more nervous than I had actually realized. I had talked about the upcoming night with the rest of the guys joining me and thankfully, they all seemed as nervous as I was. I knew going into this dance was going to be hard, but I had never given dance the credit it deserves until now. I’ve never been the most flexible guy around, so I assumed I was going to be at a disadvantage from the start, but I was hit with more than a rude awakening. We all walked into the dance room, took our places in three rows and jumped into our All-in-One technique class. All-in-One is a combination of a workout and dance technique; I felt the workout part of it immediately. We started with stretching, and within the first two stretches, I knew this was going to be one of the hardest things I had ever done. The girls held their legs above their heads, dropped into the splits and could bend their bodies in ways I didn’t realize were possible. Meanwhile, I struggled to even touch my toes. By the end of the class, I was drenched in sweat and just as sore as I had ever been from soccer. The following night was a whole different dynamic.

WANT TO WATCH? The boys spent over four hours at dance last month. If you would like to see how well they did, or at least watch them try their best, head over to sequoitmedia.com, click on this story and watch the video by senior digital director Rebekah Cartlidge. Don’t want to go through all of that clicking? Scan the Aurasma code below to go right there.

New teacher. New class. New muscles which felt like they were going to tear. Ballet IV revolved around more technique than the Allin-One class had, and once again I was not prepared. We started with barre technique, which was just like it sounds. I grabbed the ballet barre and tried my best to mimic what the girls were doing without looking like a complete idiot, which was a goal that I missed by a longshot. I have never been so confused in my life as I tried my best to understand what I was supposed to do. I listened to the teacher speed through a list of words which sounded like a different language to me and doing movements, which I didn’t even think I’d be able to do at half-speed. That was essentially how the night went. Leaps, turns, legs and pointed toes. Don’t forget about the pointed toes. Less than 15 minutes into each night, I realized that I wasn’t going be able to even compete with the dancers, so I just decided to laugh my way through the pain. JOHN HOWE // Public Relations Director

Being the stereotypical football player, I assumed dancing around for an hour or so would be a breeze. Little did I know what I had gotten myself into. I showed up to Shine Bright Dance Studio directly after football practice, so I was already spent from the day. We began with light stretching, or so the dancers said. As the class progressed, so did the stretching. I have never been the most flexible person on Earth, and for those who don’t know, dancing is a lot of stretching in muscles I didn’t The “I” Issue

Sports even know existed. I was beginning to feel the long football practice before class even really started. Then we had to stand on our toes for a really long time while getting French words told to us that were supposed to mean something. I have never been more confused in my entire life as to what was being expected of me. At that moment, I was completely terrified of what I was going to have to do next. Finally, we did some jumps, which sounded way easier than they actually were. Jumps, in the dance world at least, consist of spinning in the air with your legs flailing around in the most uncomfortable positions possible. It was during this section of practice that I gave up on trying to figure out what I was supposed to be doing and just decided to have fun with it. Luckily for me, practice was almost over and we got to do a final dance to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.” Even during that, I was afraid I was doing something wrong and tried my best to stay in the back of the room. For my own life’s sake, I hoped the teacher was not looking at me. Overall, I had a good time experiencing some of the most excruciating pain I have ever felt during stretching. I would definitely go back to take another dance class with Jason, Branden and Griffin, mostly to laugh at them and make myself feel better about my own dance moves. GRIFFIN HACKELOER // Tom Tom Staff

I’ve always heard the saying that ballet makes a football player better. Being a defensive lineman in football, I need to always be improving my footwork. I was working on my homework and all of a sudden I get a call and was asked to drive to Shine Bright Dance Studio to take class. I never would have known that I was getting myself into one of the hardest workouts that I have ever done. We started out by stretching, which all the dancers thought was perfectly normal as they were pushed to the floor while in the splits, or to have their feet forcefully pointed until they touched the ground. After the “light” stretch, we got straight to it. The music’s tempo sped up and the dancers hopped straight into doing the workout. It took me a few times through to get used to the movements, but I eventually got the hang of it. We ended the first day by doing some leaps and pirouettes across the floor. I had worked and stretched muscles I never knew existed. The second day came along and I could barely walk. Tuesday was ballet, and I figured that the Ballet IV class would be a little easier than All-In-One. Boy was I wrong. We started out at the barre, where we tried to mimic the girls as best as possible, which I failed at in a short amount of time. Ballet consisted of constantly being up on your toes and a lot of turns. The turns were definitely the hardest part of ballet because, unlike the dancers, none of us knew how to not get dizzy. Overall, I think that this was a great experience because I was able to see what my sister and her friends have to do on a daily basis. BRANDEN GALLIMORE // Department Editor

Before I got into the dance studio, I thought that dance was going to be easy. I was expecting some relaxing, easy dance moves. It had turned out to be a rude awakening for me. After a long day at school and a three hour football practice, I thought that the hour and a half dance practice was going to be the easiest part of my day. But, dance was by far the toughest part. Once we got into the studio, we jumped right into things. Without hesitation, all of the girls got right into position, leaving me clueless. One of the toughest parts about the whole dance experience was following along with the teacher at the barre. Every step and move that each of the dancers made, I tried my best to catch up and imitate. But, of course, my steps were way off and the dance teacher had to constantly correct me. Another tough part was the flexibility that it took. I am not a flexible person by any means, so this was tough for me. A lot of the dance moves needed flexibility and I was not close to doing any of them. After over an hour of being laughed at for my dance moves, I had finally realized that a dancer’s technique does not come easy. From messing up the steps to forgetting what steps to do, dance was still a fun opportunity that I don’t get to do every day. Dance is a sport of perfection and a sport that needs practice; obviously, dance is not for everybody, and especially not for me. TT

42 Tom Tom December 2016

The “I” Issue

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{Perspectives

WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO BE

IGNORED BY ANONYMOUS AS TOLD TO MATTHEW ROWE

t was after elementary school when it started to happen. I guess even in elementary it was happening, I just didn’t really notice it. When I walked into Antioch Upper Grade School, there were so many people: both familiar faces and people I had never seen before. I was a little nervous, but I’m sure every other kid had the same feeling. At this time I only had one or two friends. I was ready to meet some kids and make new friends, but that’s not how it was going for me. It wasn’t like kids were being mean or bullying me; it was like they just didn’t notice me. I almost felt like I was invisible to the school; it seemed like no one wanted to talk to me or get to know me. At first it didn’t really bother me; I would just let it go and try not to think about it too much. Then it started to frustrate me. I didn’t understand why no one wanted to talk to me. Days just seemed to go by slower and slower. Oftentimes they would drag. I sometimes would even try to make friends, but it never worked. They just turned me down or would pretend like they cared about what I was saying. It started to get bad; I was

46 Tom Tom December 2016

getting really depressed and had a lot of anxiety. It was social anxiety, where I was always self conscious about what I say or do. Every day became more of a struggle; I had so much on my mind. I just had no one to talk to I felt like there was no point for me to be there anymore. It already felt like I wasn’t there. I started to get some crazy thoughts in my head. They wouldn’t leave. I tried to make school more fun and exciting, but the more I was there, the more I hated it. I thought to myself, how can someone be ignored like this for almost two years? It was too much. All I wanted was some friends to hang out with and talk with when I had a problem going on in my life. I would go home and feel emotionally drained. All I wanted to do was stay in my room and do nothing for the rest of the day. I hated school. I hated showing up to school. I

would beg my mom every day if I could miss school, but as any mother would say… ‘no.’ I just had to pick my head up and keep going. After two years, I still wanted to quit and give up on it all. I felt like there was no hope for me; people just didn’t like me or they thought I was weird. I never really knew. The summer went by real fast, and before you knew it, the new school year was about to start. It was the beginning of my eighth grade year and I had given up completely on my grades, on trying to make friends and on pretty much everything. Until a few weeks in, a kid came up to me and sat next to me in science class. ‘What’s up? Don’t you live in my neighborhood?’ and right from there, we started to talk. He asked me to hangout one day and I said sure, why not. I met all of his friends. After that, we started to hang out almost every day. Ever since that day I never felt ignored again. I was thankful. I guess in a way you could say he definitely saved me from myself, and for that I’m forever grateful. TT

PHOTO // KRISTINA ESDALE

The “I” Issue

THE STUDENT VOICE OF ANTIOCH COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL

VOLUME 55, ISSUE 3 + DECEMBER 2016 WWW.SEQUOITMEDIA.COM + @ACHSTOMTOM + @SEQUOITSPORTS 1133 MAIN STREET + ANTIOCH, ILLINOIS + 60002